In the handling of passenger car and light truck tires received from the presses it is common to use a tray sortation system for delivery of the tires to selected destinations. However, the heat of the product, which may be on the order 110.degree. to 150.degree. F., tends to cause adherence of the tire to the conventional sheet metal tray.
Among the objectives of the present invention are to provide a tray sortation system for such hot products which will break any contact formed between the hot product and the tray and assist the gravitational discharge of the product from the tray at an assigned discharge location; which requires a minimum number of parts; which is easy to maintain; and which is relatively low in cost.
In accordance with the invention a tray sortation system is provided which is particularly suited to the handling of tires which are at elevated temperature and tend to adhere to the tray which comprises a plurality of carriage assemblies movable along a track, each carriage assembly including a tray which is tilted on an axis generally parallel to the axis of travel. Each tray is provided with a fixed roller mounted along the center line of the tray and extending in the direction of movement of the tray. Each carriage assembly further includes a pair of rollers attached thereto and adapted to extend through openings in the tray when the tray is tilted thereby breaking any contact formed between the tire and the tray and insuring free gravitational discharge of the tire from the tray at an assigned discharge location.